


The Kingdom of Winds

by spacedaydreamer



Series: The Fall of Windhm [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bittersweet, Drama, Gen, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-27 04:02:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20401363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacedaydreamer/pseuds/spacedaydreamer
Summary: Following the death of prince Octavo, the captain of the royal guard found himself faced with an impossible task. How was he to manage the kingdom, to protect it from the boy he'd sworn to protect? It was an impossible task, with no clear-cut answer. All he could do was try, and pray his actions wouldn't damn the kingdom he called home forever.





	1. Hail to the king

Zephyr had been in the throne room when it had happened.

It was the princes’ eighteenth birthday. There was going to be a small ceremony there, very few people were allowed to be present… but prince Vaati was late. The king was very quickly growing irate, and though Zephyr stood silent, he was ready to move if need be. He wouldn’t sit by if the king intended to berate the prince, not today of all days.

“He’s late. Has nobody seen him?”

“No, your majesty.”

“Then send people to _look_.”

“At once, your majest-“

He was cut off from his response by the doors to the throne room being thrown open with a loud slam, Vaati entering with a grin on his face. It wasn’t a… typical grin, though. Something about it felt horribly off, and Zephyr tensed from his post. He wanted to be ready... he prayed whatever strange feeling he was getting was _wrong_, but he wanted to be ready nonetheless.

“You are _late_.”

“My _apologies_, father. I suppose I lost track of time.” He strode into the room with a confidence that was rarely seen from the prince, head held high and that grin never leaving his face. “Now, it’s about time we _begin_, yes?”

“…Yes. Now that you’re _here_.”

“_Wonderful_.”

Before anymore words could be said, there was a massive gust of wind- everyone in the room was thrown backwards save for Octavo and Vaati. Immediately Zephyr attempted to rise, to get towards the princes, but there was an unnatural wind of incredible strength that pushed back at him like a wall.

“_Vaati! What are you doing?!_”

The prince ignored him though, walking forwards until he was a short way away from his brother. The smile on his face had grown manic, eyes wide and betraying a horrid twisting madness.

“Now, brother. It’s time for you to die.”

All the while, Octavo said nothing. The look on his face twisted Zephyr’s heart with sadness, but it only further enraged Vaati- Zephyr could do nothing but watch as the wind suddenly started cutting at Octavo, his eyes going wide in shock as a weak scream of pain escaped his throat.

“Oh _please_, is that _really _all you have to offer?” It would seem as if that wasn’t enough for Vaati, who was gleeful all the while. “Such a pathetic scream. You don’t need your voice, then.”

He didn’t want to keep watching, but it felt like it would be disrespectful to look away- for as long as he was looking he kept _trying_, pushing against the wind that continued to blow him back. It was a futile effort, nothing was being done but wasting his energy… but he couldn’t bear to just _watch_ this. It was too horrible.

“Hmm? What was that, brother?” Vaati seemed to lean in as Octavo’s mouth moved, his voice too soft to be heard past the wind that kept pushing Zephyr back. But whatever he said, it clearly hadn't had a positive effect. Vaati just laughed, but the look on his face was colder than ice. “You can’t _honestly_ expect to win me over _now_ with your _pathetic words_. Why do you even bother?”

A period of time that felt both like seconds and hours passed by, until Octavo finally fell to the ground dead. The wall of wind that’d pressed Zephyr back seemed to disappear, but in place the wind was whipping around the entirety of the room- Zephyr was forced to brace himself against it, shutting his eyes to keep dirt from getting in.

When he finally opened them once more, Vaati was still there… but he was different. He looked more like a demon, the strange… _warped_ quality of his grin even more unsettling. But most apparent was the presence of a third eye on his forehead, staring right at him.

“It would seem my father, pathetic old bastard that he was, has left.” Vaati’s words prompted Zephyr to look around in a slight panic- indeed, the king had fled. “But that hardly matters. I don’t care where he goes.”

There was a long silence, before Vaati finally started walking over towards Zephyr. His hand tensed on his blade- _what was happening?_ Why had this happened? This was… this was a tragedy, and his heart was weeping.

“And yet… the _dog_ knows how to _stay_. That’s good.” Still with that grin, Vaati stopped right in front of Zephyr. “Bow to your king, _dog_. If you know what’s good for you.”

There was a long silence as Zephyr considered his options. He knew that he couldn’t ever be truly loyal to Vaati, he couldn’t allow him to continue whatever this was, but he also knew better than to draw his blade. Getting himself killed now would help nobody… he needed to figure out what was going on. So finally he did as told, getting on one knee and bowing before the prince.

“_PERFECT!_” Vaati’s laugh was a horrid sound, a screeching noise that made Zephyr’s ears hurt. “You really are a worthless _mutt!_ But that’s the cost of loyalty to _kingdom_ over _crown_, is it not? You should’ve left with your _previous master_, but now he’s abandoned you!”

He knew silence was wise. He knew better than to say anything _now_\- he had to figure out what was going to happen, and do everything in his power to protect everyone within the castle, and everyone in the country. Ideally, he could even find a way to help Vaati… although looking at the prince- no, _king_\- now, he doubted it would be likely. Vaati seemed quite happy with himself.

“Now… I’ll need someone to do away with this _trash_. It doesn’t befit my castle.”

“…Of course, my liege.”

To hear Vaati speak of his brother’s corpse in such a way was sickening, but Zephyr couldn’t allow the slain prince’s body to just be disposed of like trash. He could at least do what he could to aid in him getting a proper burial… he hoped.

“Good. You’re dismissed.”

* * *

Quickly, Zephyr had noted that much of the castle seemed abandoned. The castle guard was mostly here, save the ones who’d been most loyal to the king, but much of the staff had left already. He’d been hoping to find a cleric to aid him in preparing Octavo’s body for burial, but there was no such luck… it seemed as if all of them were gone.

“Captain. If I may have a moment?”

One of the guards had spoken, standing a short distance away.

“Speak.”

“The… previous king had a message for you. He wished to see you at the abandoned northern mines.”

“Is… that where he made his escape to?”

“Yes. He, and those he brought with him.”

“How many left?”

“A fair percentage of those from the town have fled. However, as far as I’m aware, nobody in any of the other towns has been told of what occurred…”

“To save themselves, I’d imagine.”

Zephyr sighed. The quicker word spread, the better chances were of it getting back to Vaati- but if the former king knew of safety, was it not his job to put his subjects first?

…No, if the king had been a man like that, then this never would’ve happened in the first place.

“I have nothing more to report, captain.”

“Thank you. Now… are you going to flee as well?”

“I… no. The rest of us… we’re loyal to you, and to Windhm. We want to protect this country… we can’t do that if we flee.”

“I see.” Though his heart still ached with sadness, Zephyr couldn’t help but feel pride in the guards who remained. The corruption and malice that had seeped into this country ran deep, it had poisoned it to the very core… but there were still good men. “We will protect the people. But… for now, that means doing as Vaati says. Do not put anyone at risk by angering him.”

“Yes, captain.”

Left alone once more, the captain of the guard sighed. He would need to meet with the former king, then… hopefully, there would be good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Part 2 of this series within the series is finally done, so I'm ready to get to posting it. This fic is one I've ended up being really happy with- we get to see a little more of some of the more background characters to the world, and get a different perspective.
> 
> Zephyr himself is luckystarman's OC she made for this au, and she has let me write him for the sake of this fic! Thank you! We'll see a little bit of my OC for the au later on, although they've already had a bit of a role in a previous fic...
> 
> Regardless, thank you very much for reading, and I hope that you enjoy.


	2. Sickening revelations

Zephyr had lived in the castle all his life. His parents had been royal clerics, but he himself had never had any sort of real talent for healing magic- he had a small amount, but barely enough to heal much more than an average scratch or scrape, certainly not what you would expect from a cleric.

Despite that though, he hadn’t been discouraged- he’d long wanted to be a knight, a royal guard. He’d known that there were… well, _issues_ with the kingdom. The king did not have a reputation for kindness, and there was strife and unrest within the town. But Zephyr was an idealist, he’d believed wholeheartedly that perhaps if he became a guard, then he could change things from the inside. He could do it, he’d believed in himself!

He’d only grown more determined in meeting the princes, too- often as a squire he’d had to watch them, basically a babysitter, and he’d known they weren’t… _well_. He’d tried as hard as he could to reach out to them, to offer them any degree of support… but Vaati had only met him with hostility, and Octavo had never seemed to respond at all.

If only he’d worked faster, he thought to himself. If only he’d been able to do more, sooner- _if only_. He had so many regrets, wondering how he might have changed things, how he might’ve saved both Octavo _and_ Vaati from this fate… but it was too late now. It was time for _actions_, not regrets.

He knew he needed to go and meet with the former king soon, but Vaati was demanding much of his time. The prince had gone power-mad, it was clear by his face- he didn’t seem to acknowledge nor care about the fact that many had left, simply making do with those who remained in the palace and calling on those who’d remained in the capital.

“Dog.”

“Yes, my liege?” He certainly wasn’t happy about how Vaati spoke to him, but he knew he could do more alive than dead. Which meant that speaking back about minor things such as that would only be counter-productive. “What do you wish?”

“This castle… doesn’t suit me.”

“It does not?”

“No. It’s entrenched with the history of _old Windhm_, but that kingdom no longer exists.”

“….pardon, my liege?”

“The prince of rhythm is dead. This is the Kingdom of Winds, now. As such, I require a suitable palace- see that construction starts immediately.”

“Forgive my questioning, my liege. But… would it not be more effective to simply re-model this castle to your liking?”

“No. It will forever hold too many memories of _him_\- I do not wish to stay in this wretched castle any longer than need be. Understand, captain? I will _not_ be taking suggestions about this.”

“Yes, my liege. Understood.”

However, Zephyr could only sigh as he left and returned to his quarters. This was a huge mess- another castle? Vaati hadn’t even said where he wanted it built… he’d have to see to that tomorrow, he supposed. But in the meantime, he’d have to call upon people to start overseeing this construction…. This was _not_ something he _wanted_ to be doing.

After too many meetings, Zephyr finally had time to ‘patrol’. That was the excuse he was giving to head to the northern mines, anyways- he approached cautiously, but found… nothing. Nobody.

“…hello?”

“Keep your voice down. Come here.”

Zephyr recognized the voice of the former king from in front of him, blinking as an illusion was dispelled to reveal the entrance to a cavern.

“Your majesty… you’ve been here?”

“It’s been known to the royal family for a while that there was an old underground tunnel system here.”

“I see… so that’s where those who fled went?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you worried that Vaati will find you? After all, it seems as though he can hear much…”

“Even if he does, he won’t enter these tunnels.”

“You seem confident in that, your majesty.”

“He’s a wind mage. I’ve never in my life heard of one of his types who _wasn’t_ claustrophobic… they thrive on open spaces. He’ll never enter these caves.”

It seemed rather presumptuous to Zephyr, that the king would just make that assumption- he didn’t really know his son very well. But Zephyr also didn’t wish to bring that up… that was another thing that was too late to change, after all.

“Regardless. There’s something I’m searching for within these tunnels, as well.”

“…that is?”

“A way to stop him.” The king’s eyes narrowed, looking down on Zephyr. “That monster is more demon than man, he can’t just be killed- he needs to be properly sealed, else he’ll just regenerate.”

“Th-That’s… your majesty, don’t you believe there may be a way to _save_ h-“

“_Save_ him?! Goddesses, you’re _pathetic._” The king’s words were harsh as ever, his tone cold. “He’s already a murderer. Don’t you think he deserves to die for that sin? He's not worth saving, anyways.”

“…” Zephyr had no true response- even if Vaati’s actions were unforgivable, to hear the king speak of his son so coldly… even if it wasn’t different from usual, it was still sickening. “I don’t see death as a proper punishment. Rather… I think it better when people are made to learn from their mistakes, to better themselves and learn how to feel regret and remorse for their actions. My apologies if that is soft, your majesty.”

“I don’t care about what you think, Captain.”

“Understood, your majesty.”

“Good. Now, I am searching for a sword that has the power to seal him. I am certain it will be found soon, and when it is, I will send word to you. You are to meet me here again at that time.”

“Understood.”

“You’re dismissed.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

As he turned, he could see the illusion shimmer and shift back into place- so then, there was no chance of him sending more people to safety. They’d just hide away, below the ground… hopefully those who’d fled with the king would be safe, at least.

Their safety was all he could pray for.


	3. Thank you, but goodbye

“My liege, have you approved of the designs for your new palace?”

“Yes, I have. It’s on those papers over there- tell them to stop wasting my time, and get to construction before I get _angry_.”

“Yes, my liege.”

Zephyr held back a sigh as he collected the stack of documents from Vaati’s desk, noting the general lack of care put into them. He supposed he couldn't have expected much more from Vaati, given how little the man cared about _most_ things... he was only occupied with his own power. He didn’t seem to care at all about the logistics of running a kingdom, but it didn’t really matter to him either… after all, he was no longer human. He didn’t _need_ to care about those things, so it was largely Zephyr who was trying to help those who needed it, away from the watchful eyes of the king.

But even though Vaati didn’t much care about the details of running a kingdom, that didn’t mean things had been peaceful. Monsters had started appearing across the land, even slowly spreading out into surrounding kingdoms. Naturally, that had all of the people of the land on edge… but Vaati had only laughed.

His only response to the concern at all had been a dismissive wave of his hand, stating that if they kept to their cities, they’d be safe. He had no interest in slaughtering those who were supposed to worship him… and while Zephyr had many issues with the statement, he’d been forced to just warn the people not to wander, and to be safe.

The people were on edge constantly- nobody felt safe, and he knew that. He didn’t know what to _do_, though… there was a limit to any of his actions. It was all he could do to keep the king relatively in control, to prevent him from getting angry… but even that felt like a losing battle.

“Captain. There is someone waiting for your at the castle gates.”

“Oh?”

“I… recommend you go now, sir. It seemed important.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Zephyr nodded and left his quarters, heading out. There, he found someone standing in wait- they had a heavy cloak drawn over their shoulders, but he still quickly recognized what little of their face was poking out.

“Cleric Mu?”

“Please, Captain. Not so loud.”

“Where… have you been?” All of the clerics had disappeared with the king- to the underground, he’d assumed. “You’ve been well, then?”

“You know where we are, Captain. But… that is not the issue at hand. He wanted me to send word for you.”

“_He_ did, huh?”

“Yes. He found the thing he’d been looking for.”

“I understand.” But Zephyr only sighed, looking back to the castle. “I still have work I need to get done today. Please… hide somewhere safe. I’ll return for you tomorrow at dawn, you have my word.”

“Very well.”

They offered him only a curt nod before turning away, and once more Zephyr felt that usual melancholy settle in. If only things had been different… but as always, it was too late for regrets.

* * *

The next day, Zephyr arrived at dawn as promised. Quickly Mu led him back towards the northern mines, their voice hushed in the few times they did speak with him.

“I am glad to see you unharmed.”

“The king… wishes to have subjects.” Zephyr sighed, looking down. “He doesn’t wish to kill, just to cause misery- hence the sudden appearance of monsters in our land.”

“I see… how terrible.”

“I’ve been doing what I can to help people. It’s not impossible, just difficult… everyone’s suffering. But we’re making do.”

He didn’t really have much else to offer- there was so much he wanted to say but couldn’t, and he was certain they felt much the same. After all… this was their home. And now… what was going to happen to it?

Neither of them would have time to dwell on that question though, before arriving at the entrance to the underground system. The illusion was quickly dispelled, and Zephyr and Mu both gathered before the former king.

In his hands, he held a weapon out to Zephyr. It was a shimmering blade, golden hilt almost glowing in the din.

“What… your majesty, what is that?”

“The four sword. This is the weapon that will kill that demon.”

“…” The demon that’d been _your son_, Zephyr wanted to interject, but he refrained. “How so, your majesty? What’s special about it?”

“…Vaati and Octavo are special souls. According to secrets of the royal family, both were born with immense blessings.” It seemed like an irrelevant change of topic, but the king wasn’t pausing for interruptions. “Both are part of a cycle of reincarnation. This cycle is crucial for the kingdom of Windhm- they are two parts of a whole. But in this life… Vaati became a demon, and Octavo was murdered.”

“Well… doesn’t that mean Octavo would be set to reincarnate, then?”

“No. He can’t, unless Vaati dies as well.”

“So that’s why… you want me to kill him.”

“_Wrong._ Stop interjecting if you don’t know what I’m going to say.”

“My apologies, your majesty.”

“As he is now, he can't really be killed. And even if he _could_, killing him would just destroy the cycle forever- it would claim Vaati’s soul forever, binding him as a demon. And as true ruler of Windhm, I cannot allow that sort of failure to my name.”

So, it was just because the king wanted to be remembered in a good light. Not that Zephyr was surprised, but… he was still frustrated.

“As such, we need to use this blade… the four sword. It’s capable of splitting apart bodies and souls.”

“That is… how?”

“The mechanics behind it don’t matter, Captain. All _you_ need to do is slay the demon- the sword will do the rest of the work. If there’s any part of him worth saving, it will do so. The rest will come to reside within the blade.”

“Isn’t that terribly unsafe? I mean, a cursed blade like that…”

“That’s why you’re going to seal it. Even further north from here is a sanctuary that was set up long ago, in the case of something horrible happening. Lay the sword to rest there, and it will create a proper seal on that _demon_.”

“I… I see. And then you’ll return to Windhm?”

“No.”

“N…No?”

“Did I not make myself clear?” The king frowned, his gaze full of disdain. “I’m going to keep myself safe _here_, in the new Kingdom of Rhythm. My people will remain here, I’m going to permanently seal the underground. Only those of my blood will be able to enter or exit… and considering Vaati would never enter, that means I’ll be safe from him.”

“But what about your _people—_”

“It’s not my fault they couldn’t make it in time.”

“Your _majesty-_“

“Enough, Captain. This is goodbye. Whether your slay the demon or not, we shall not meet again.”

“….yes, your majesty. Farewell.”

He stepped back as the illusion shimmered up into place, and then tentatively placed his hands against it. It was solid now, not just a trick of the eye- it was no different from the rocks that lay around it.

Well… he had a role to do. And… and perhaps he had a chance to save Vaati, now. Perhaps this sword wouldn’t kill him- it would just do away with whatever this affliction was, and return him to a normal prince. Maybe the king had been wrong, and things could still be turned for the better...

He could at least _hope_.


	4. I'll see you again

Zephyr had sheathed the sword as he made his way back to the castle, Feeling at odds with himself on what to do. He knew the real answer- he couldn’t delay. For the sake of the people in the kingdom of Wind, he couldn’t allow them to continue suffering. Vaati's reign hadn't been long, but the effects could already be seen so plainly- the hushed tones of voice that people spoke in made his very soul ache, and he knew that he had to give the people back their freedom.

But… was it not equally his duty to figure out a way to save Vaati, too? After all, he knew his prince had been so deeply hurt. He only wished he’d learned more about healing… perhaps those with that sort of ability may have been able to do more than he could. Like Mu… but he’d never see them, or any of the clerics, ever again.

How saddening.

He could not allow himself to dwell on that. He couldn’t let himself stop in his duties, no matter how torn he may become. He owed it to his people, didn’t he? The people of this kingdom… they would rely on him.

It took one week for Zephyr to decide upon a plan of attack, along with properly ensuring Vaati didn’t suspect him. He’d hidden the four sword carefully within his room, in hopes of it not being noticed, and just gone about his duties in the meantime. The construction of the new palace had begun, and was moving smoothly enough… although, Zephyr wondered how quickly it would be dropped once this darkness had been sealed.

He couldn’t delay this. He had to do what was right, even if his heart would weep for the two princes he hadn’t been able to save. It was time to stop Vaati, no matter what.

“Ah, Captain. Do you have something to report?”

Zephyr bowed low when he entered the throne room, doing his best to avoid any sort of eye contact.

“Yes, my liege. It is about the construction.”

“I hope it’s _good _news, then.”

“It is.” He rose and strode forwards, getting closer. “Current projections estimate that it will be done sooner than anticipated, even.”

“It would seem that you’re not completely worthless after all, then.” Vaati grinned, that same sickening grin that never seemed to fully go away. “You’re dismissed, th-“

Mid-word, Zepyr finally drew his sword and _lunged_ at Vaati, who just barely managed to dodge out of the way in time. The demon king scowled for just a moment, before the look on his face warped even further into a strange twisted glee.

“So, you’d betray me? Well, that’s no true shame- I’ll just kill you!”

Zephyr had little time to right himself, dodging sharply from a bolt of lightning thrown his way. It would seem Vaati’s magic had grown stronger- and darker. He continued to throw blasts of dark magic his way, putting Zephyr hard on the defensive and making it hard to keep up with the battle.

It went on for a while, but there was a clear difference in skill level. What Vaati had in pure power, he lacked severely in training or discipline- he began to grow tired, while Zephyr was still prepared for more.

During this time, he finally did it- the blade pierced through Vaati’s chest, all the way up to the hilt.

“D-_damn you…”_

Zephyr was quick to steady Vaati, holding the young king’s body up.

“I’m sorry, Vaati. I really, truly am.”

“Oh, as _if_. You stupid _mutt_\- still loyal to my father, then? He’s the one who gave you this _gift_, isn’t he?”

“…he did. But I didn’t do this from loyalty to him… I wished to save you.”

“_Save_ me? By running a _sword_ through my chest? _Hah!_” Despite said wound, Vaati seemed to be in no hurry to die. “You live on pretty words and empty ideals. You always have- you’ve always claimed to want the best, but you’ve never done anything to achieve that goal. A man like you can only ever live half a life.”

“You’re… you’re wrong. I’ve done my best to live up to my ideals… I _tried_ to reach out to you, Vaati. And I still think it’s not too late…”

“You’re a damned fool, then.”

“Perhaps. But I’m a fool with conviction.”

“Hah… I truly do hate you.” Vaati smiled as he spoke, that same unsettling grin present on his face. “Then… I’ll leave you with a _gift_.”

“A… what?” Zephyr didn’t trust that at all, but needed to know more. “What do you mean by that?”

“You win this time. You’ll cleave my soul in half, or at least… salvage what little parts of it that this wretched sword can salvage. But in return… for as long as my soul is sealed, yours shall only know solitude and misery. None shall call you friend, and any who do shall be driven away- either by their own wishes, or by death himself.”

“Wh… what…?”

“This is my _curse_ for you, my dear _captain._ Your eternal soul will never know companionship until I am resurrected.”

“No, you can’t—”

“Oh, but I’m not _cruel._ My vessel will be reborn… you can always spend time with him. The only person who you’re allowed to befriend will be the person who will plunge this world back into chaos… it seems fitting.” Vaati laughed, a horrid sound that made Zephyr wince. “Now captain, farewell. _Until we meet again._”


	5. Raise from the ash

Zephyr collapsed to his knees when Vaati’s body finally fell limp, the sword clattering to the ground as the man’s form disappeared. He could feel himself going into shock- what had Vaati _done?_ Had he really held so much hate in his heart? Had he… really been so beyond saving?

No. No, he wasn’t. Zephyr had to believe that perhaps someday, in his next life, Vaati would be able to be helped. He couldn’t allow his sorrow at failing his prince to overcome him, he had to believe in a future where he could be _saved_. Even if not now, even if not for _centuries_, he would believe that Vaati could be saved _some day._

There was no time to waste, so Zephyr made haste for the location of the sanctuary that the king had told him about. The sword seemed to pulse with a dark energy now, the blade containing the wrath of the demon king.

Once he finally found himself at the seal, he hesitated for just a moment. After all… if he sealed away Vaati, didn’t that mean damning himself? A life of eternal solitude… it sounded horrible.

But no- _no._ He had to do what was right, he’d decided that from the very start.

So with one smooth motion, he placed the blade into the pedestal, and allowed everything to become permanent. He’d been about to leave, to return to the kingdom- when his eye caught on something.

Yes, on the ground, there was… a small package? A bundle, wrapped tightly in blankets… curious, Zephyr peered down, only to reel back in shock.

“Wh-What?!”

It was a baby- quite clearly so, although it barely seemed to move or breathe. Only upon picking the child up did he receive confirmation that he was even alive… but still, it wouldn’t even cry. Upon the child’s face were scars and markings that shouldn’t’ve been on a baby so young… but he’d seen them before. They were the same as what’d been on Vaati’s face, meaning..

“Is this… Vaati? Is _this _what he meant?”

A vessel reborn, the remainder of Vaati’s soul that’d been salvaged by the four sword… that was who this child was. But… Zephyr wouldn’t just allow that. He wasn’t going to let this child have a life ruled by those sorts of expectations… he deserved a chance at life, just as Vaati should’ve been given that proper chance as well.

Those thoughts in mind, Zephyr began the long journey home. He couldn’t help but be a little concerned by the child in his arms… he wasn’t sure if he was sleeping or not, but he never cried once. Was there some sort of problem he didn’t know of? Admittedly, he’d never raised a child- he didn’t know the first thing about babies. And definitely not babies who’d been born from the remainder of a demon’s soul that he’d just split in half.

Regardless though, those things could be dealt with once he’d returned to the castle. Not once during the entire trip did the baby start to cry… to be completely honest, Zephyr was worried about him. Did that mean that the child was ill? Or was there something else he didn’t know about? He couldn’t say.

Upon return, he was met quickly by his guards.

“Captain, sir. The king has gone missing, he hasn’t been seen-“

“At ease. Vaati… the demon… has been sealed.”

“What?”

“It’s as I said. I was entrusted with a weapon that had the capability of sealing away the darkness. We no longer have to worry about the demon.”

“Then- will the previous king return-“

“No. He’s… decided the separation of kingdoms is to be permanent.”

“Well… regardless! We’re _free!_”

Zephyr couldn’t match the enthusiasm that his guards seemed to share, instead feeling a horrible sadness in his soul. He thought of the curse, and of his own failure- he hadn’t been able to save Vaati, not _really_. But he couldn’t let on to any of that… the curse on him was not anyone else’s problem to deal with.

“So then, we can stop the construction on that other castle…”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“No?”

“The people only have bad things to say about… this place. Just a lot of bad memories… almost everyone in town has already moved away. It’d probably be smart to go to the new castle regardless… old Windhm will be abandoned for this new… _kingdom of Wind._” The guard who was speaking didn’t seem terribly pleased bout the name of the kingdom, given the one who’d named it… but that was something that was too late to change now. “And given the royal bloodline is gone, and all the highest-ranked nobility fled with the former king… that would make you our new king, captain.”

“Wh-what?”

But none of the guards seemed to take any issue with that- to _them_, he was a _hero_. The one who’d slain the demon, who’d freed their people. It was truly a shame he couldn’t see things that way.

“Hold on- no, wait, you’re getting ahead of yourselves.” He finally drew attention to the baby he’d been carrying in his arms, who’d been silent all the while. “This child is the one who carries the royal bloodline. He’s the only one with the right to rule this kingdom.”

“Is that… is that the _demon’s_ child?”

“Captain, you can’t be serious.”

“Why would you bring that thing back here!”

“It’s gotta be _cursed!_ I mean, it hasn’t even cried, and we’re not exactly being _quiet_.”

He perhaps should’ve expected this sort of reaction, but he’d still expected better from his own guards. One glare was enough to get them all to stop talking over each other, and he held the baby close.

“This child has done nothing wrong. He was born, and he has a right to life, just like anyone else.”

“But… but captain, he’s _got_ to be bad luck-“

“I won’t hear a word of it. He is our prince, and he _will_ be treated with respect.”

“Well… how are you going to _raise_ him? I can’t imagine anyone in the kingdom would want to nurse him…”

“I’ll find someone.”

“Are you going to… just call him Vaati?”

“No.” Although, to be fair, Zephyr hadn’t actually thought of another name yet. He paused, looking down to the child’s face. He looked so similar, but he still deserved his chance to be his own person. “His name is… Vaalni.”

* * *

The time until the palace for the new kingdom was completed seemed to pass by quickly. Zephyr was able to find someone who was willing to nurse the new baby prince, although responsibility to actually raise him had fallen entirely onto the fill-in king’s shoulders.

He found that he didn’t really mind that role. He may have been completely inexperienced… but this was his method of apologizing. He wanted to make it up to Vaati for failing him, for not helping him when he’d still been human. At the very least, he could help Vaalni, and give him support.

That would still be far easier said than done, though. Practically as soon as the kingdom began to establish itself as the Kingdom of Wind, there’d been countless laws pushed into place to restrict any bit of freedom the royal family might’ve had. No prince could leave the palace before he turned eighteen, and even _after_ that, they were forbidden from leaving without escorts. Emotions were to be frowned upon, for it’d been the demon king’s hate and anger that’d caused this whole mess. And, more than anything- they were to _never_ forget that the royal bloodline was the bloodline of a demon.

Zephyr had fought against the rules, believing it cruel. They were restricting his chances to ever grow or live as a normal person might’ve- how could you _ever_ grow up properly if you would forever have people breathing down your neck, reminding you that you were born a monster? But his protest had largely gone ignored, even with his supposed place as ‘king’.

Despite all that, he wouldn’t give up on trying to ensure that Vaalni had happiness in his life.

It became clear to him very early on that whatever magics had led to Vaalni’s existence had left him… odd. Whether it was due to the cleaving of Vaati’s soul, or the curses that Vaati had surely cast, the child very rarely seemed to emote. He was always quiet- he didn’t even try to speak until much later than your typical child.

But none of that mattered to Zephyr, who just wanted to give the boy some semblance of a normal youth. It didn’t matter to him that Vaalni wasn’t ‘normal’, it didn’t matter that he was Vaati’s child or that he was supposedly cursed from birth. He was a child, and he deserved to have a childhood. That was Zephyr’s opinion on the matter, so that’s what he would do everything in his power to ensure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutouts to the people who know where Vaalni's name comes from, thank you Cadence of Hyrule dataminers


	6. Questions I don't understand

Vaalni knew that he was odd. He knew he wasn’t a normal child, and he knew that he was cursed.

That last part, he’d been told many times. He was the child of the demon king Vaati, who’d destroyed the old kingdom of Windhm and split it apart. The demon who’d separated the kingdoms of Wind and Rhythm… was his father. His _real_ father, not king Zephyr.

As well, Vaalni knew that he was dangerous. That he had the potential to re-awaken the demon, to bring him back to this world and destroy the Kingdom of Wind for _good_ this time. He knew that was bad, and he knew that he didn’t want that.

But for all of the things Vaalni did know, there were so many more that he _didn’t_.

He couldn’t understand why Zephyr always had a strange look on his face when he thought nobody was looking. He couldn’t understand why Zephyr would seem upset whenever people were reminding Vaalni of what he was. He couldn’t even really understand why it was supposedly a bad thing- did it not just make sense? After all, it was good to know what he was, if he wasn’t to repeat his father’s mistakes.

“Zephyr, why are you looking like that?”

He hadn’t meant to sneak up on the king, but it would seem that he had anyways. He’d jumped a little bit- apparently Vaalni had been quieter than he’d realized.

“Like what, child?”

“Off through to the distance. Like you’re staring at something, even though your eyes see nothing.”

“I was… thinking, was all.” Zephyr paused a moment, then sighed. “It’s nothing that you need to concern yourself with. Just the troubled thoughts of a tired old man.”

“You’re troubled?”

“All people have troubles, Vaalni. Some more than others, but I’m no different.”

“Are they because of me?” There was no sorrow in his voice, nor any sort of guilt- just the same neutral tone that the child always seemed to speak with. Vaalni knew that he didn’t emote ‘properly’, that he seemed to frighten the people around him- but he didn’t know what to do about that. If he was broken, perhaps he was too broken to care. “I am sorry if I cause you trouble.”

“No, it’s not because of you. You are not trouble to me, Vaalni- you bring me joy.”

“Why?”

It was perhaps a strange question, because Zephyr had another look on his face that Vaalni couldn’t understand. He hadn’t thought it too odd, but perhaps it would’ve been better to refrain from asking.

“Because… because, regardless of what people say of you, you are a light in my life. You are not what they say you are, Vaalni.” Zephyr knelt down by him, putting his hands on the young boy’s shoulders. “You are not him, no matter how they insist with their whispers. You are your own person, and you deserve your own chances.”

“But I am his son.”

“A child should never be made to carry his father’s sins. Your existence is not a crime, and those who wish for you to make up for his mistakes are in the wrong.”

“I… I see.”

He didn’t, actually. He really didn’t understand it at all- he didn’t understand why Zephyr held such a different opinion of him. But when he agreed, it seemed to make Zephyr happier… and though he never seemed to feel much, he always thought things were a little bit nicer in his life when Zephyr was happy.

“Vaalni, please do not forget that. Please, do not _ever_ forget that- I am proud of you. Raising you has brought me joy.”

“I won’t forget it. I promise.”

“Thank you… thank you.”

Zephyr pulled him in for a hug, to which Vaalni wasn’t sure how to respond. He never really was- he would only mimic the king’s actions, although it seemed again to make the man happy. How such a simple gesture achieved such a thing he wasn't sure, but perhaps it didn't matter whether or not he really understood it.

Truly, even if he was _strange_ and _odd _and _cursed_, he did hope that someday he’d be able to understand things better. He thought that Zephyr was very kind, and he was grateful to him for raising him. Someday, he’d like to understand what made Zephyr feel troubled, and ease those worries.

Even if his existence was cursed, to help the one person he cared for… seemed like it would be reason enough to have been born.


	7. My own reason

As time went by and Vaalni grew older, he felt as though he was able to at least come to understand _some_ things better. There were some emotions that didn’t confuse him as much when he saw them on people’s faces, and he was learning more about what was to be expected of him when he was king. He knew he’d be little more than a figurehead- but if that’s all the people needed from him, then that’s what he would do, to the best of his ability. He didn’t want to live a life where people would only fear what he could become, after all.

It had taken time, but he _had_ started to figure out things for himself. He wanted to be a good king, even if he was uncertain what that should entail. He wanted to ensure that people wouldn’t be scared of him, so he wanted to ensure he never succumbed to the curse in his blood. And more than anything, he knew that he wanted to help make Zephyr happy.

The last part confused him in his certainty, to be honest. He wasn’t sure how he knew that so much- but he wanted the man who’d raised him, despite everything, to smile. Something beyond the smiles that Vaalni had come to understand as sorrowful, something more… genuine.

It was a shame then, that he didn’t really know how to make that happen.

He was no expert on emotions, and he hardly considered himself at all good at understanding other people. Even Zephyr, with all he’d seemed to try to Vaalni, was a mystery to the boy- he still couldn’t even really understand why the man had agreed to raise him. He was _grateful_ for it, but he didn’t _understand_ it.

And worse still, he didn’t know who to turn to. He didn’t have any sort of confidant, there was nobody in the palace he could really turn to. In fact, he suspected that he would just distress anyone he _attempted_ to ask… and he didn’t want to do that. It wouldn’t do for him to just cause unnecessary trouble like that.

So that had led Vaalni to the only place where he felt like he could rely on and learn from… the library. He’d began looking through books, trying desperately to find reference on what he should do for Zephyr. It wasn’t like there were any sort of known references for _who he was_ or what his _situation_ was, and he couldn’t even look to the past- there weren’t any books about old Windhm anymore. They’d all been lost, he’d heard once.

So try as he might, even _books_ seemed to be failing him. For all the boundless knowledge that could be contained, there was no simple step-by-step on how to make Zephyr happy… not that he’d truly expected anything like that. No, that would be a foolish thing to wish for.

He tried to refer to his own memories, then. He knew that whenever he saw Zephyr smile, it also held that sorrow. But was that his fault, or because of something else? Vaalni didn’t know, and he didn’t know how to approach what else may have been causing the sadness.

Perhaps if he’d had any real magic, he could’ve tried to wish it away. But in terms of that, he was laughably lacking- his wind magic could barely stir a light breeze, a far cry from the demon king before him. Not that it was a bad thing, he supposed… the people were less scared of him for it. And when he thought about it in that aspect, he was honestly somewhat _glad_ for his lack of magical talent- it was better to be bad at it than to have people fear him, right?

He didn’t honestly know, but he would still try his best to be ‘good’ for them.

It was a little bit frustrating, not knowing what to do for Zephyr. So after a while, he’d just given up on trying to figure out… and instead, he’d gone to the man himself. It was late in the evening, and he’d found himself just waiting outside of Zephyr’s room, staring at the door. He didn’t know if he’d be in or out, and he didn’t want to disturb him… he’d been waiting almost an hour before he finally heard a voice, turning to see the king.

“Vaalni? What are you doing here?”

“Oh. Zephyr.”

“Did you… need something?”

“I wished… to speak with you.”

“Okay. Why don’t you come in, then?”

Vaalni nodded and followed, sitting on the edge of the king’s bed once Zephyr gestured to do so.

“What did you want, Vaalni?”

“I want to help make you happy.”

“H-Happy? Vaalni, where did this come from?” He had a confused expression on his face, that seemed to soften into a smile- but it was the sorrowful one. Not a happy one. “Is something the matter?”

“Nothing is the matter. I just… wished to do something for you. Because you have aided me greatly in raising me, despite who I am…”

“Oh, my dear child…” Zephyr merely shook his head, resting one hand on Vaalni’s back. “You have not been a burden on me, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’ve been happy to see you grow.”

“But… your smile is sorrowful.”

“That is not your fault.”

But still, Vaalni wished he could do something about it. What _could_ he do? There was so little he really knew about… both in this world, and just in terms of Zephyr himself. He really didn’t know much at all about anything, no matter how much he wished for the contrary.

“May I… ask you a foolish question, then?”

“Ask away.”

“You are not my father. I know that my father is Vaati, the demon king. But… may… I call you father?” He immediately wondered if he’d made a mistake- he didn’t know how to describe the expression on Zephyr’s face, but he doubted it was a good one. There seemed to be too much surprise in it, and he felt he’d crossed a line. “….no, my apologies. I should not have asked…”

“Don’t apologize. I’m not upset, Vaalni… I’m happy.”

“You… are? But you aren’t smiling… it looks as if you’re ready to cry.”

“Emotions aren’t simple things, my child. But I promise you, I’m happy. I’m so, _so_ happy.”

“Oh… well then, I am… glad.” And he did feel it, he believed. He perhaps couldn’t say for certain, he wasn’t familiar enough with emotions to tell- but he trusted Zephyr to tell the truth on that. “Thank you for looking after me, father.”

His father just pulled him into a hug, and for once, Vaalni felt as though he knew what to do.

* * *

Life seemed to continue as usual, but Vaalni found things… a little easier now. Even if nothing had really changed, even if he knew that his people would likely never change how they saw him, he still felt as though things in his life were a little more straightforward.

He continued to grow older, and he continued learning, and figuring things out. He tried to make sense of things, no matter how little sense they would seem to make to him- and he learned in time that he could ask his father, too. He wasn’t alone, even if it often felt like he should be.

Perhaps his birth _had_ been a mistake, and perhaps he _shouldn’t_ have been born. He didn’t really know, and he couldn’t really comment. But even if he was cursed, even if he knew he was the son of a demon… he couldn’t help but feel happy. Because regardless of everything, if he’d managed to at least make one person happy, then perhaps he did have a reason to be.

It was small, and it was simple.

But it was a reason, and for him, that was more than enough to keep on trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And after all this time, this era comes to a close. Thank you to everyone who read this, it was a lot of fun to write! The Vaati of this era (who I nickname 'Wrath') is a very interesting one to me, and Vaalni is just.... very good. Don't forget about Wrath, because there's still his unfinished business... but at least for now, it seems like the Kingdom of Wind can have some semblance of peace.
> 
> A super-huge shoutout to Amber for letting me write her OC as the main character for this fic, Zephyr is just really good? He and Mu are kinda like the Impa of this AU... while they don't reincarnate in the same way, they always seem to be there when needed.
> 
> Until next time! We're now moving into the age of separation, which has its own stories to tell, so as usual there's more on the horizon. Thank you for reading!


End file.
